Public Comment Correspondence – Grecia Lopez-Reyes
From: Grecia Lopez-Reyes [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2022 2:17 PM
To: Mary Zendejas <[email protected]>; Cindy Allen <[email protected]>; Suzie Price <[email protected]>; Daryl Supernaw <[email protected]>; Stacy Mungo <[email protected]>; Suely Saro <[email protected]>; Roberto Uranga <[email protected]>; Al Austin <[email protected]>; Rex Richardson <[email protected]>; Mayor <[email protected]>; Monique DeLaGarza <[email protected]>
Cc: Eboney Pearson <[email protected]>; Council District 2 <[email protected]>; Jack Cunningham <[email protected]>; Chork Nim <[email protected]>; Celina Luna <[email protected]>; Lynette Johnson <[email protected]>; Parker Houston <[email protected]>; James Ahumada <[email protected]>; CityClerk <[email protected]>
Subject: [LAANE] Community Letter in Support of Healthcare Workers
-EXTERNAL-
Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers,
On behalf of the Long Beach Coalition for Good Jobs and a Healthy Community I wanted to share this letter of support for the immediate adoption of the Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage (File # 22-0652).
Together with our partner organizations, we believe it is time frontline healthcare workers receive compensation that matches their ongoing commitment to service for our community.
Long Beach needs skilled healthcare workers. With immediate adoption, the City of Long Beach can ensure we do not see a decline in the quality of care for our families when they need it most.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your consideration.
I am copying the City Clerk so that this letter may be included in the public record.
Grecia Lopez-Reyes
Director, Long Beach Coalition for Good Jobs and a Healthy Community --
Grecia Lopez-Reyes
Director, Long Beach Coalition
Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy
E [email protected]
T 213.977.9400 x106
M 424.221.3809
_______________
464 Lucas Ave. Suite 202
Los Angeles, CA 90017
www.laane.org
July 8, 2022 Long Beach City Council 411 W Ocean Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90802 Dear Honorable Members of Long Beach City Council: In coordination with the organizations signed on below, we write to express our strong support for the Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage. For two years, healthcare workers have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers have risked their lives, the lives of their loved ones, and in some cases paid the ultimate price in their service to our community. The psychological toll of working through the pandemic, compounded by inadequate staffing and pressure to work overtime, has caused healthcare workers to reach a breaking point. Many healthcare workers have left healthcare and more are considering leaving soon. In a recent survey, 83% of healthcare workers reported that their departments are either severely understaffed or somewhat understaffed. Thirty-eight percent report that vacant positions in their departments take more than seven months to fill or are never filled. Prior to the pandemic, California faced a shortage of 500,000 healthcare workers needed to care for our aging population. Now, we are facing a full-blown crisis. To retain current workers and recruit the new healthcare workers needed, we must ensure they are fairly compensated. By setting a $25/hour minimum wage we can attract the workers we need to ensure we do not see a decline in quality of care for our families in Long Beach. During the pandemic, healthcare corporations received billions in federal funding and tax relief and have made huge profits. Meanwhile, frontline healthcare workers have not seen an increase in compensation that matches their commitment to serving our community. Long Beach needs skilled healthcare workers. Every individual who walks through the doors of their hospital, clinic, or other healthcare facility deserves the highest quality of care. The Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage will ensure that federal funds and corporate profits are invested in our frontline caregivers. I urge you to adopt and pass the Healthcare Minimum Wage in the city of Long Beach to ensure we address the healthcare staffing crisis and provide high quality care for our community. Thank You, Grecia Lopez-Reyes Project Director Long Beach Coalition for Good Jobs and a Healthy Community
Roxana Tynan
Executive Director
Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE)
Lian Cheun
Executive Director
Khmer Girls in Action
Leanna Noble
Director
Long Beach Residents Empowered (LiBRE)
James Suazo
Executive Director
Long Beach Forward
Re. Jennifer Gutierrez
Executive Director
Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice
(CLUE)
Laura Zavala
Senior Strategy Director
Californians for Justice (CFJ)
Gaby Hernandez
Executive Director
Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition (LBIRC)
Romeo Hebron
Executive Director
Filipino Migrant Center
Martha Cota
Martha Cota
Founder & Executive Director
Latinos en Acción California
Susana Sngiem
Executive Director
United Cambodian Community
Naida Tushnet
Naida Tushnet, PhD
Long Beach Area Peace Network (LBAPN)